It's a Race
by Suffering Angel
Summary: She never could pick, so they tried to pick for her.


I don't own KH.

_**It's a Race  
><strong>_  
>He knew he heard right, but oh, he wished he didn't. To hear what he did from his very best friend at the tender age of six was, to put it simply, traumatic. He trusted him, and he cared for him. The last thing he was expecting was a declaration of war.<p>

"Come again?" The small brown haired boy exclaimed, his sandals filling with sand as he dug his feet into the ground, fists clenched and held a bit high and a panicked expression twisted his face.  
>His friend of several good months older turned away with a humph, a hand held to his hip.<p>

"You heard me, Sora." He began, a touch of frustration to his voice. "I know you like her too, don't play dumb. But we can't both like her at the same time, it doesn't work like that."

The younger boy pouted in distress, a shameful blush decorating his cheeks. He looked from one grain of sand to the other as though the solution to this mess would be found there.  
>"But... why not? Why <em>not<em>, Riku?" He demanded and puffed his cheeks.  
>Riku huffed back and shook his head.<p>

"You like your mom, right? But you can't really _like_ her because she's married to your dad. Same thing."

Sora stuttered at the example. "I don't _like_-like my mom, that's just gross!" He replied with a scrunched nose.

"But if someone else did, your dad would be in the way, right?"

"Well, yeah..." Sora admitted finally and shifted uneasily.

"Same thing here." Riku continued. "We can't both like her, and we can't ask her."

"We should!" Sora interjected, thinking it to be a way out of the mess.  
>Riku in turn rolled his eyes.<p>

"You know she won't choose, Sora. Or do you want to tell me she will - in which case, are you ready for her decision? _Whichever_ it may be?" He added when he saw Sora was about to reply hastily and was satisfied when the other fell silent.  
>"That's what I thought." Riku nodded and turned fully towards Sora. "So we have to decide for her."<p>

"But... a race?" Sora stuttered and rubbed the back of his neck.

"We can duel if you want to." Riku shrugged. "The point still holds - whoever wins, shares a Paopu with Naminé."

The brunet pursed his lips. Of course, the situation wasn't favorable in the least for him, he knew that much even in his young age. Forcing the decision on Naminé like that was at least rude, and that was besides the simple enough fact -  
>Riku was likely to win regardless of what they picked to compete in.<br>Of course, even if Riku and Naminé got together - a fact that got the poor boy flushing on its own - Sora'd still be their friend.  
>However...<br>What about Sora and Naminé? What would be of their friendship?  
>He stalled on, and Riku, who grew impatient, clenched both fists and teeth.<p>

"Don't even think about chickening out."

Sora's eyes widened as he stared at Riku.  
>"Wha-"<p>

"If you bail, I'm not talking to you anymore, you coward." Riku basically hissed. "I'm willing to go the distance for her - are you?"

Sora pursed his lips and looked quite helpless and lost.  
>"I am, but... but why <em>that<em> far?"

"Then what do you suggest?" Again with the hissing, Sora realized with a wince, but Riku went on regardless. "We can't wait forever. We have to settle this - now."

Sora shook his head, refusing to accept Riku's words. "You say this now, but what if _I_ win? What'll you do then, Riku?"

To begin with - Riku was still for a moment. It was obvious the question caught him off-guard - he wasn't expecting it. He of course pondered that possibility, wondered what he'd do if that came to pass, but his earlier words held true -  
>It was a distance he was willing to go. Granted - not without his pride having a say in it.<p>

"We won't be friends anymore."

Sora felt the warmth drain from every last corner of his body, and he fell limp and silent as he stared at Riku. He said that, he... actually said that. Either Sora raced and lost, or he lost his best friend - race or no race. That was what Riku told him right then. He couldn't win, no matter what he did. Even if he lost the race and kept Riku... he'd lose Naminé.

It was with that thought echoing through his mind that he realized he heard the sound of... a sniffle? It was peculiar and out of place, enough at least to snap him out of that depressing train of thought.  
>Curious and surprised, Sora looked up over Riku's shoulder, and the older boy as a result turned to look behind him as well. Both's eyes widened as they noticed the blonde girl who stood there, clutching her sketchpad tightly to her chest. She was watching the two with her lower lip held tightly between her teeth, and a pained look was evident in her blue eyes.<p>

" Naminé..." Sora muttered silently and glanced once at Riku in an almost helpless manner.  
>Riku didn't look back; he keped looking at Naminé with as hurt an expression as she looked back with.<br>Of course; if they had to go behind her back, it meant she disapproved of what they were doing. It made too much sense then she'd react like this once she found out.

"Do you have to fight like this?" The girl asked, fingers tightening around the metallic spiral of her sketchbook. She looked from one boy to another, but neither had much to say - not even Sora who was dragged into this mess.  
>Riku was even stiller and more silent, his fists clenched at his sides and his fingers digging into his palms.<p>

"Why can't you be friends, like always?" The girl continued then, all the while struggling her hardest not to burst into tears.  
>"Why do you have to choose for me? I don't want to choose!" She cried out and looked at both in distress.<br>"I like you both just as much... why can't I be with the both of you?"  
>The plea was sincere and desperate, and left both boys feeling ashamed of their thoughts and feelings, let alone their actions. Just by entertaining the idea, they hurt her so...<p>

"Please, just... let's be together, like we always were..."

Back then, in a time that never was, it was easier. Both boys apologized, learned from their mistakes and came to better understand both each other and Naminé. They knew better than to think such silly arguments were important - at least until they became adults.  
>Ah, in the memories of them as children, it was so simple, so comfortable... so easy to put such things to a stop...<p>

"I said _STOP_!"  
>She cried out, realizing only too late what she's done. With eyes peeled wide open and lips slightly parted, she looked up and realized the friend she made to herself was broken as he fell to the floor, lifeless. A look up and she realized the friend she called over to find her was staring at her in dread and disbelief as he saw her for what she truly was, a heartless witch.<br>The tears stinging her eyes, she buried her face in her hands and bit down onto her palm least she ended up screaming.  
>All she ever wanted was to be together with the two of them, like they were in the paintings scattered all over the room. <p>


End file.
